Mr. President, Wildfires do not recognize international borders. Smoke crosses borders just as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and pollution do. Canada has never blamed the United States for the smoke from California, Oregon, or Washington, just as we would not expect Americans to be blamed for hurricanes that cross into Canadian waters. The reality is that Canada’s forests cover nearly 350 million hectares, roughly 9% of the world’s forests, much of it remote wilderness where fire has been a natural part of the ecosystem for thousands of years. No country on Earth has the capacity to remove every tree, every branch, or every piece of combustible material across landscapes of that scale. Canada invests billions of dollars annually in wildfire prevention, forest management, firefighting, and emergency response. Thousands of Canadian firefighters, military personnel, Indigenous fire crews, and volunteers risk their lives every summer protecting communities, often alongside American firefighters under long-standing mutual aid agreements. In return, Canada has repeatedly sent aircraft, personnel, and equipment to help fight devastating wildfires in the United States whenever called upon. That is what neighbours do. Climate conditions, prolonged drought, lightning strikes, insect infestations, and extreme weather have all contributed to longer and more severe wildfire seasons across North America. This is a shared continental challenge, not a uniquely Canadian one. Rather than assigning blame, Canada and the United States should continue strengthening cooperation on wildfire prevention, forest management, scientific research, firefighting capacity, and emergency preparedness. Our two countries have always been strongest when we confront common challenges together, not when we look for someone to blame. We thank you for your attention to this matter. Sir.